New Mural shocks Brussels

New Mural shocks Brussels

Posted on January 23, 2017

The anonymous artist that has already graced the walls of Brussels with gigantic murals of a penis, anus and a penetration-scene, strikes again with yet another controversial work. This time with a rather violent image, rather than a sexual one. The new mural bears the image of a beheading and art connoisseurs were quick to spot similarities with Carvaggio's Sacrifice of Isaac (1603).

The public uproar about this artists mural's aren't anything new, especially the now famous mural of a flaccid penis was the cause of a lot of media attention and concerned citizens. However, the violent nature of this particular mural seems to spark even more debate. The main argument of the people wanting to remove the mural is that the beheading is too gruesome for children's eyes and that,in light of recent terrorist attacks and horrible new stories about similar acts violence by IS, the image can be too shocking for people to deal with. However, the cries for removal have of course been met with resistance as well.

The most notable fan of the mural is Belgium's minister of culture, youth and media Sven Gatz. On Twitter he said the following about the topic: "Nieuwe muurschildering Brussel = (alweer controverse. Kunst is vrij. Verboden te verbieden aub. Of gaan we Caravaggio ook verbieden?" That translates freely to: "The new mural in Brussels is a point of controverys. Again. Art is free. It should be forbidden to censor. Or will we censor Caravaggio too?" As well as later stating to the press that censorship is a trait of countries such as Norh-Korea and the former USSR, and not of free countries such as Belgium.Bjorn Poucke of Street Art Belgium and curator of the Crystal Ship festival feels the same, adding also that he sees it as hypocrite that these kind of images seem to be deemed ok when seen in the media and even seen as art and culture when they are on display in a Catholic church but not on the streets.

Whoever this daring artist is, we applaud him or her for their daring and bold works that capture the spectators attention for sure!